Stop the fight! MMA referee slammed after brutally late stoppage in title bout (VIDEO)

American lightweight prospect Austin Hubbard picked up one of the biggest wins of his career, but his LFA lightweight title win was marred by some questionable officiating in the closing moments of the contest.

Hubbard defeated previously-unbeaten Brazilian contender Killys Mota in the dying seconds of their five-round lightweight title bout in the main event of LFA 56 in Prior Lake, Minnesota on Friday night.

But referee Fipp refused to intervene and the barrage continued. Remarkably, Mota found the strength to briefly get back to his feet, but was immediately dropped back down to his knees to Hubbard, who relentlessly poured on the pressure.

But still Fipp wouldn't step in, and it took another sustained salvo of strikes to the grounded Mota before he finally decided he'd seen enough.

Overall, Fipp allowed Mota to receive a torrent of unanswered punishment for more than a minute before calling a halt to the contest.

The referee's failure to intervene at the appropriate time led to criticism from across the MMA world, with longtime MMA outlet Sherdog slamming Fipp for allowing 35 unanswered strikes to be landed in the final 23 seconds of the contest.

And one of the most respected officials in the world, British referee Marc Goddard, retweeted the video with his own reaction, saying: "People have no idea how much I've lambasted myself if I think a fighter took one maybe two shots too many under my watch, it's a difficult game that few truly understand.

People have no idea how much Ive lambasted myself if I think a fighter took one maybe two shots too many under my watch, it’s a difficult game that few truly understand. But this, THIS breaks my heart, angers & infuriates all in one. Good God! 😔 https://t.co/MkB6yaM12u